Mickey Shunick – The Latest

UPDATE: May 29, 2012: 2:05 p.m. – Lafayette Police will hold a press conference this afternoon at 3:30 p.m. to discuss the latest on the Mickey Shunick search.

1:45 p.m. — Police in Lafayette do not believe there is a connection with the disappearance of Mickey Shunick and that of a University of Indiana girl who went missing more than a year ago.

Corporal Paul Mouton with the Lafayette Police Department says they are not releasing any information as to why they don’t think the two cases are related.

He says police in Bloomington, Ind. contacted police here because of similarities in the two cases. Both women are nearly the same age and are of the same build, shape, and hair color. Both women went missing after a night out with friends.

Shunick’s bike was found Saturday in a swampy area off of Interstate 10 near the Whiskey Bay. If you have any information that could crack this case, you’re urged to call the Lafayette Police Department tips line (337) 291-8633.

May 28, 2012: 8:30 p.m. – Walk-ons Restaurant in Lafayette will hold an all-day musical event to help raise funds to go toward the search for Mickey Shunick. The restaurant will feature live music Wednesday starting at 11 a.m. Walk-ons will donate 10 percent of their meal proceeds, but in order for your money to go toward that fund, you’ll need to bring a flyer with you which you can download and print from www.findmickeynow.com.

4:50 p.m. – As of noon, Lafayette Police have discontinued the search of the area surrounding where Mickey Shunick’s bike was found. Investigators were unable to locate any other significant evidence. The investigation remains ongoing.

2:00 p.m. – Investigators in Bloomington, Ind. have teamed up with their counterparts in Louisiana to discuss a missing persons case they’ve been working on for almost two years–a case similar to that of Mickey Shunick’s.

Twenty-year-old Lauren Spierer of Greenburgh, N.Y. disappeared June 3, 2010 shortly after a night out with friends in downtown Bloomington.

Shunick and Spierer are nearly the same age and are of the same size, build, and hair color. In both cases, security cameras captured white trucks where the women were last scene at the time they disappeared.

If you have any information, you’re once again urged to call the Lafayette Police Department tips line at (337) 291-8633.

May 27, 2012 3:00 p.m. –Lafayette Police are confirming that Mickey Shunick’s bike has been found beneath the Whiskey Bay I-10 Bridge at Exit #127. Some local fisherman located the bike and notified police through the tips line. The entire area and the river are being searched for clues and evidence. Police are asking the public to remain out of the area so that law enforcement officials can search. The case remains under investigation.

May 26, 2012 7:15 p.m. – Detectives have provided an updated picture of the initial vehicle of interest and the pictures of two additional vehicles that were in the area during the same time frame when Mickey Shunick was last captured on surveillance footage.

The first truck drove from the area that Mickey had traveled. It is evident from the new photo that the vehicle has a bed cover and tinted windows. The second truck is a white 4 door Chevrolet Z71 that traveled in the same direction of Mickey on St. Landry Street. The third vehicle is an 80’s or 90’s 4 door vehicle with body work on the rear right quarter panel. Detectives are interested in locating the vehicles and speaking with the occupants to obtain further information on the case. Anyone with information is encouraged to call the tips line at 337-291-8633.

[via Lafayette Police Department press release]

1:30 p.m. – Because of a lack of new information, Lafayette Police has cancelled the press conference originally scheduled for 3 p.m. Saturday afternoon.

12:23 p.m. — Lafayette Police will hold another press conference Saturday at 3 p.m. to provide the latest details on the search for Mickey Shunick.

May 25, 2012 7:15 p.m. –Lafayette Police have released an image captured on video that’s believed to be Mickey Shunick on her bicycle traveling on Versailles Boulevard and Saint Landry Street. At about 1:47 a.m. the bicyclist believed to be Mickey is captured traveling on Versailles Boulevard towards St. John Street. Police say she then traveled on St. John Street and crossed over University Avenue, continuing west on St. Landry Street where she was captured on video at about 1:48 a.m.

A white newer model four door pickup truck was captured on video after Mickey Shunick traveled on both streets. Police are seeking information on that truck.

Anyone with any information is asked to call the tips line at 337-291-8633 or Crime Stoppers at 337-232-TIPS.

1:42 p.m. — The Lafayette Police Department has scheduled a press conference for 3 p.m. Friday to discuss the latest details of the search for 22-year-old Mickey Shunick.

KPEL’s Nathan Pike will provide full coverage of the conference and will post the details as soon as possible.

1:24 p.m. – Organizers at the volunteer center being used as a base for the search for 22-year-old Mickey Shunick have some new needs as the search enters its sixth day.

According to the Find Mickey Shunick Now Facebook page, volunteers need food. The public is asked to call or email the center, findmickeyshunick@yahoo.com, to find out what specifically is needed.

Also, the group says their social media campaign has a need for flash drives. They say they would prefer flash drives with large amounts of space but will accept several smaller flash drives if donated.

Mel’s Diner is also providing meal cards for volunteers getting back from searches.

1:10 p.m. — U.S. Representatives Charles Boustany and Jeff Landry have issued statements in regards to the ongoing search for 22-year-old Mickey Shunick, who disappeared early Saturday morning.

“I encourage all parties in the community to get involved and join the search for Mickey,” Boustany said in a media release Friday. “Please be on the lookout for her and alert authorities if you have any information which may lead to her whereabouts. My thoughts and prayers are with her family as it goes through this difficult time.”

Landry said, “Sharon and I are praying for Mickey’s family and hope for her safe return.”

May 24, 2012: 3:20 p.m. — Volunteers will gather at 8:30 p.m. Thursday night at Our Lady of Wisdom Center to discuss an organized search of the Vermillion River planned for Saturday.

According to the Facebook page Find Mickey Sunick Now, no time on Saturday has been set for the search. The group says you do not need to have a boat, kayak, canoe, etc., in order to join the search.

For more information, contact Jonathan Romein, (337) 207-4401.

2:30 p.m. — Police Chief Jim Craft says there is so far no reason to believe Brettly Wilson had anything to do with the disappearance of his friend, 22-year-old Mickey Shunick.

Craft confirmed Thurday that Wilson was given a polygraph test, but he said he could not reveal the results of that test.

“Polygraphs are part of many investigations,” Craft said, “but we’re not going to release any information along those lines that could maybe hamper our investigative efforts.”

Craft also revealed the existence of video footage from the Taco Bell Wilson told investigators he and Shunick went to the morning she disappeared. In that video, Craft said you can see Wilson, but you can’t see his passenger.

“But we know [Shunick] was there because she told a friend on a phone call she was there, and her ATM [card] was used there,” Craft said. “And you can see him turning in the vehicle, so he’s talking to someone.”

Craft also said they have picked up several items of potential evidence, but so far, none of those seems to be connected to the case. He also confirmed that her cell phone was turned off and that police are not able to get any information about her location using that avenue.

“It’s the type of cell phone that, when you cut it off, you can’t ping it,” Craft said.

Wilson was the last person to see Shunick.

If you have any information that could lead to where Shunick may be, call the Lafayette Police Department Tips line, 337-291-8633.

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The search for Shunick has become so massive, search teams have moved their base of operations to a new location.

The search group has moved from their original location on Ryan Street to the Our Lady of Wisdom Center at the corner of St. Mary Street and McKinley Street.

May 23, 2012: 6:00 p.m. – The founder and director of Texas Equusearch, a nonprofit group that specializes in missing persons cases, is en route to Lafayette to meet with the Shunick family and police. The group has been asked to assist with the search.

3:19 p.m. — As the search for 22-year-old Mickey Shunick stretches into its fourth day, organizers want the public to be aware of a number of new developments.

The reward money for information leading to Shunick’s return now stands at $25,000. That’s up from $20,000 Tuesday night. The original reward money amount was $10,000. Much of this amount has been funded by private donors.

A Solidarity Bike Ride has been scheduled for Wednesday night at 7:00 p.m. The ride will start at Parc Sans Souci in downtown Lafayette and will follow the path Shunick presumably took the night she disappeared.

Lamar Advertising is featuring the group’s missing message on a number of their digital billboards throughout the state.

A planned segment on “Good Morning America” Wednesday morning was preempted by breaking national news. However, a reporter from New York City, NY and a producer from Houston, Tex. are on their way and should arrive in Lafayette Wednesday afternoon. The crew will film search and rescue efforts as well as the Solidarity Bike Ride.

The search story will be featured live on Nancy Grace Thursday.

The UL Lafayette Student Government Association is assisting. It’s unclear what type of role they are playing.

The group is also asking for the following items so that efforts to search for Shunick can continue without interruption.

The group has plenty of food and water. As of now, they are in need of office supplies, such as large post-it notes, legal pads, printing paper, pens, etc.

The group is also asking for generators.

They are asking for baseball caps so that volunteer search groups can be protected from the sun.

Many of the women are asking for Florida Water.

Nurses are on-hand to ensure all search members remain properly hydrated and are in good health. Any qualified nurses are asked to volunteer.

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